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Harnessing High Altitude Wind Power
Harnessing High Altitude Wind Power
(FEG) technology
ABSTRACT
High Altitude Wind Power uses flying electric generator (FEG) technology in
the form of what have been more popularly called flying windmills, is a proposed
renewable energy project over rural or low - populated areas, to produce around
12,000 MW of electricity with only 600 well clustered rotorcraft kites that use only
simple auto gyro physics to generate far more kinetic energy than a nuclear plant .
According to Sky Wind Power; the overuse of fossil fuels and the overabundance of
radioactive waste from nuclear energy plants is taking our planet once again down a
path of destruction, for something that is more expensive and far more dangerous in
the long run. FEG technology is just cheaper, cleaner and can provide more energy
than those environmentally unhealthy methods of the past, making it a desirable
substitute/alternative.
The secret to functioning High Altitude Wind Power is efficient tether technology that
reaches 15,000 feet in the air, far higher than birds will fly, but creating restricted
airspace for planes and other aircraft.
The same materials used in the tethers that hold these balloons in place can also hold
flying windmills in place; and with energy cable technology getting ever lighter and
stronger .Flying windmills appear to be 90 percent more energy efficient in wind
tunnel tests than their land-based counterparts; that is three times more efficiency due
to simple yet constantly abundant and effective high altitude wind power, available
only 15,000 feet in the air by way of clustered rotor craft kites tethered with existing
anti-terrorist technologies like those used on the Mexican/American border radar
balloons.
High Altitude wind power offers itself as a clean and more powerful source of power
generation than anything available on-the grid at present and if sky wind power corp.
has their way, FEG technology and flying windmills will take the lead of a more
sustainable future within the decade.
Flying electric generators (FEGs) are proposed to harness kinetic energy in the
powerful, persistent high altitude winds. Average power density can be as high as 20
kW/m2 in a approximately 1000 km wide band around latitude 30in both
Earth hemispheres. At 15,000 feet (4600 m) and above, tethered rotorcraft, with four
or more rotors mounted on each unit, could give individual rated outputs of up to 40
MW. These aircraft would be highly controllable and could be flown in arrays,
making them a large-scale source of reliable wind power. The aerodynamics, electrics,
and control of these craft are described in detail, along with a description of the tether
mechanics. A 240 kW craft has been designed to demonstrate the concept at altitude.
It is anticipated that large-scale units would make low cost electricity available for
grid supply, for hydrogen production, or for hydro-storage from large-scale generating
facilities.
INTRODUCTION
Two major jet streams, the Sub-Tropical Jet and the Polar Front Jet
exist in both Earth hemispheres. These enormous energy streams
are formed by the combination of tropical region sunlight falling and
Earth rotation. This wind resource is invariably available wherever
the sun shines and the Earth rotates. These jet stream winds offer
an energy benefit between one and two orders of magnitude greater
than equal rotorarea, ground mounted wind turbines operating in the lowest regions
of the Earths boundary layer. In the USA, Caldeira and O Doherty
and Roberts have shown that average power densities of around 17
kW/m2 are available. In Australia, Atkinson et al show that 19
kW/m2 is achievable. These winds are available in northern India,
China, Japan ,Africa, the Mediterranean, and elsewhere.
Various systems have been examined to capture this energy,
and these include tethered balloons, tethered fixed-winged craft,
tether climbing and descending kites, and rotorcraft.
Our preferred option is a tethered rotorcraft, a variant of the
gyroplane, where conventional rotors generate power and
simultaneously produce sufficient lift to keep the system aloft. This
arrangement, using a twin-rotor configuration, has been
described and flown at low altitude by Roberts and Blackler (Fig. 1).
More recent developments have produced a quadruple rotor
arrangement (Fig. 2). Commercialization of the quad-rotor
technology could significantly contribute to
greenhouse gas reductions.
Tethered rotorcraft, with four or more rotors in each unit, could
harness the powerful, persistent jet streams, and should be able to
compete effectively with all other energy production methods.
Generators at altitude also avoid community concern associated
with ground-based wind turbine appearance and
noise. Bird strike problems are also less. However, tethered
generators would need to be placed in dedicated airspace, which
would restrict other aircraft. Arrays of tethered
generators would not be flown near population centers unless and
until operating experience assured the safety of such a
configuration.
Aerodynamic variety
An aerodynamic airborne wind power system relies on the wind for support.
Bryan Roberts, a professor of engineering at the University of Technology, in Sydney,
Australia, has proposed a helicopter-like craft which flies to 15,000 feet (4,600 m)
altitude and stays there, held aloft by wings that generate lift from the wind, and held
in place by a cable to a ground anchor. According to its designers, while some of the
energy in the wind would be 'lost' on lift, the constant and potent winds would allow it
to generate constant electricity. Since the winds usually blow horizontally, the
turbines would be at an angle from the horizontal, catching winds while still
generating lift. Deployment could be done by feeding electricity to the turbines, which
would turn them into electric motors, lifting the structure into the sky.
The Dutch ex-astronaut and physicist Wubbo Ockels, working with the Delft
University of Technology in the Netherlands, has designed, and demonstrated [1], an
airborne wind turbine he calls a "Laddermill". It consists of an endless loop of kites.
The kites lift one end of the endless loop, (the "ladder") up, and the released energy is
used to drive an electric generator.
A Sept'09 paper[4] from Carbon Tracking Ltd., Ireland has shown the capacity factor of
a kite using ground based generation to be in 52.2% which compare favorably with
terrestrial wind-farm capacity factors of 30%.
A team from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the United States has developed a
smaller scale kite power system with an estimated output of about 1 kW. It uses a
kiteboarding kite to induce a rocking motion in a pivoting beam.
The Kitegen uses a prototype vertical-axis wind turbine. It is an innovative plan (still
in the construction phase) that consists of one wind farm with a vertical spin axis, and
employs kites to exploit high-altitude winds. The Kite Wind Generator (KWG) or
Kitegen is claimed to eliminate all the static and dynamic problems that prevent the
increase of the power (in terms of dimensions) obtainable from the traditional
horizontal-axis wind turbine generators. Generating equipment would remain on the
ground, only the airfoils are supported by the wind. Such a wind power plant would
be capable of producing the energy equivalent to a nuclear power plant, while using
an area of few square kilometres, without occupying it exclusively. (The majority of
this area can still be used for agriculture, or navigation in the case of an offshore
installation.)
KiteLab's Dave Santos of Ilwaco, Washington, has been advancing single-surface
wingmills to generate useful electricity with the generator ground-based.[5]
The Rotokite is developed from Gianni Vergnano's idea. It uses aerodynamic profiles
similar to kites that have been rotated on their own axis, emulating the performance of
a propeller. The use of the rotation principle simplifies the problem of checking the
flight of the kites and eliminates the difficulties due to the lengths of cables, enabling
the production of wind energy at low cost. The Heli Wind Power is a project of Gianni
Vergnano that uses a tethered kite.
Aerostat variety
An aerostat-type wind power system relies at least in part on buoyancy to support the
wind-collecting elements. Aerostats vary in their designs and resulting lift-over-drag
aerodynamic characteristic; the kiting effect of higher lift-over-drag shapes for the
aerostat can effectively keep an airborne turbine aloft.
Balloons can be added to the mix to keep systems up without wind, but balloons leak
slowly and have to be resupplied with lifting gas, possibly patched as well. Very large,
sun heated balloons may solve the helium or hydrogen leakage problems.
An Ontario based company called Magenn Power Inc. has developed a turbine called
the Magenn Air Rotor System (MARS). The 100-foot (30 m)-wide MARS system
uses a horizontal rotor in a helium suspended apparatus which is tethered to a
transformer on the ground. Magenn states that their technology provides high torque,
low starting speeds, and superior overall efficiency thanks to its ability to deploy
higher in comparison to non-aerial solutions.[6] The first prototypes were built by
TCOM in April 2008.[7]
Estimated costs
Sky Windpower estimate that their technology will be capable of producing electricity
for $0.02 per KWh, while a system of raising a kite to a high altitude while turning a
generator on the ground, and then changing its shape so that it can be drawn back
down with less energy than it produced on the way up, has been estimated to be
capable of producing electricity for $0.01 per KWh[8] - both numbers being
significantly lower than the current price of non-subsidized electricity.
OPERATION:
The U.S. average capacity factor would have been about 80%
for craft flying at 10,000 meters. At Detroits latitude, the capacity
factor was calculated at 90%, at San Diegos, 71%. This compares to
capacity factors of about 35 percent for
ground-based wind turbines operating at the best sites.
Fig. 2 above and Fig. 3 below show the four-rotor assembly
with four identical rotors arranged, two forward, and two aft. The
plan-form of the rotor centrelines is approximately square. Adjacent
rotors rotate in opposite directions; diagonally
opposite rotors rotate in the same direction.
In this particular four rotor assembly, craft attitude in pitch,
roll, and yaw can be controlled by collective rotor pitch change. No
cyclic pitch control is needed to modify the blades pitch as they
rotate, as is needed in helicopter technology.
This should help reduce maintenance costs. Rotor collective pitch
variation then varies the thrust developed by each rotor in the
format described below using GPS/Gyro supplied error signal data.
(1) Total craft thrust (and total power output) is controlled by
simultaneously equal, collective pitch action on all rotors.
(2) Roll control is by differential, but equal, collective pitch action
between the port and starboard pair of rotors.
(3) Pitch control is by differential, but equal, collective pitch action
between the fore and aft pair of rotors.
(4) Yaw control, via differential torque reaction, is by differential, but
equal, collective pitch changes on pairs of opposing rotors.
Ground-based wind turbines experience surface feature
turbulence not present at high altitude. In addition, turbulence
reaction is different for a FEG. Ground-based turbines are, more or
less, rigidly mounted on support towers. Even when flexible units
and procedures are used, direct and gust-induced moment loads are
significant for these ground-based facilities. Considerable European
and US research and development has been directed towards
relieving load excursions from nearsurface
wind gusts.
Flying electric generators have a great, inherent advantage
over equivalent ground-based facilities in their ability to reduce gust
loads. This is due to tether cable flexibility, both as built-in elasticity
and as changeable shape (drape) under gust conditions. This
flexibility very significantly alleviates gust loads and torques applied
to the rotors, gearboxes, etc. This means that gust loads in flying
units are reduced by more than an order of magnitude compared to
ground-based turbine gust loads. Sky WindPower Corp. has
developed programs that demonstrate this gust alleviation process.
Section V details the flight performance of these flying generators.
Electrodynamic tether
Tether is the connecting media between the turbines up in the air to the grid
on the surface. Electrodynamic tethers are long conducting wires, such as the one
deployed from the tether satellite, which can operate on electromagnetic principles as
generators, by converting their kinetic energy to electrical energy, or as motors,
converting electrical energy to kinetic energy. Electric potential is generated across a
conductive tether by its motion through the Earth's magnetic field. The choice of the
metal conductor to be used in an electrodynamic tether is determined by a variety of
factors. Primary factors usually include high electrical conductivity, and low density.
Secondary factors, depending on the application, include cost, strength, and melting
point.
An electrodynamic tether is attached to an object, the tether being oriented at
an angle to the local vertical between the object and a planet with a magnetic field.
When the tether cuts the planet's magnetic field, it generates a current, and thereby
converts some of the orbiting body's kinetic energy to electrical energy. As a result of
this process, an electrodynamic force acts on the tether and attached object, slowing
their orbital motion. The tether's far end can be left bare, making electrical contact
with the ionosphere via the phantom loop. Functionally, electrons flow from the space
plasma into the conductive tether, are passed through a resistive load in a control unit
and are emitted into the space plasma by an electron emitter as free electrons. In
principle, compact high-current tether power generators are possible and, with basic
hardware, 10 to 25 kilowatts appears to be attainable.
This windmill, pictured below, is in the prototype stage. This project is called
high altitude jetstream windpower, and its wind energy that literally captures the
jetstream. Why do they want to use the jetstream? Because mid-level wind at a high
altitude in the jetstream produces winds of 125-160 mph, so its like capturing the
power of a hurricane.
Vcos c)/ R
The dotted curve represents the maximum power output
under conditions of zero profile drag on the rotor blades. Hence it
follows that when c = 90 the value of Cp will equal the Betz Limit
of 0.593. Using the methods of Gessow and Crim the practical
values of Cp have been calculated for a rotor solidity of 0.05. For a
fixed value of the power coefficients adopt an inverted U-curve
shape. On each of these curves, the power coefficient can be zero.
These are the autorotation conditions where no power is being
developed or supplied to the rotors. The favored autorotation
condition, to be discussed below, is the left-hand side zero crossing
of each inverted U-shaped curve. In these conditions the craft is
selfsustaining in the prevailing wind, V, and rotor speed
The autorotation conditions physically relate to conditions
when wind speed is insufficient to support the craft and its tether,
and the system is on the point of collapse. The left-hand side cutting
of the inverted U-shape curves in Fig. 4 with the
ordinate axis, implies that all the winds kinetic energy is being used
to generate lift and that no power is being developed. The left-hand
cutting with the ordinate is preferred because in this condition it
favors the tether cable more than does the companion right-hand
crossing of the ordinate. This implies that the crafts lesser nose-up
attitude allows a more near vertical application of force at the top of
the tether.
The question now arises as to which of the left-hand crossings
is most favorable for our purposes. It has been found that the
minimum wind speed to stay aloft occurs when the craft noseup
attitude is around 24with a corresponding tip speed ratio of 0.10.
These values will vary somewhat with different rotor
and tether parameters, but it is important to realize that
autorotation at a minimal wind speed is fundamental to the
systems performance. A typical minimum wind speed for
autorotation is around 10 m/s at an operating altitude of 15,000 feet
(4600 m).
VI. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DETAILS
Flying electric generators need to ascend and remain aloft for
short periods on grid-sourced energy. In low-wind conditions, only a
small proportion of output rating as grid sourced energy is required
to raise or maintain the craft aloft. Voltages at the terminals of both
the generator/motor and at the grid interface need to be kept within
designed tolerances and/or be adjusted by timely voltage
regulation.
In a national regulated electricity market, such as that found
in Europe and elsewhere, a System Impact Study (SIS) is required to
connect a new generator to the grid if the generators capacity is
above a minimum level, e.g. 5 MW. Even non-dispatchable
embedded generators require Grid System Impact Assessments.
The generator proponent usually pays for the generator-to-grid
The cost of energy was computed using the formula (5). For
the Topeka, Detroit, and San Diego sites the costs of energy
(COE) are $0.0194/kWh, $0.0196/kWh, and $0.0249/kWh,
Respectively:
COE FCR * ICC )/ AEPnet AOE
X. ENERGY STORAGE ISSUES
Electric utilities want constantly available dispatchable
power, which cannot be provided economically if capacity factors
are low, such as the thirty percent that is typical of ground based
wind turbine sites. However, with the high capacity factors, such as
85 percent, that are expected at average FEG sites in the United
States and many other places in the world (especially in the midlatitudes), this dispatchable
electricity becomes economical. This is because the expected
storage requirement in connection with FEG derived electrical
energy is storage for only the shorter periods when FEGs are
grounded due to inadequate winds or bad storms.
Pumped water storage, where available, is a very economical
means used now for such temporary storage. A well known example
is used by the utility PG&E in California to pump water up to a high
lake during low electrical-use hours and then have that water
generate electricity at high demand times on the way back to a
lower lake.
Existing hydroelectric power at dams may be considered to be
the equivalent of pumped water storage facilities by deliberately
phasing in and out generation in complementary fashion to wind
availability at a nearby FEG array. In that
combination the combined output could be dispatchable power with
as much as four times the capacity of the existing hydroelectric site.
Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) is another energy
storage means presently coming into use. In special circumstances,
where pumping compressed air into existing large caves or porous
rock strata is feasible, it may well be
especially economic. Commercial tanks built for the purpose may be
the most economic storage means where very shortterm energy
storage is needed.
Hydrogen, not currently a means of economic storage as are some
of the methods mentioned above, has the advantage that it can be
stored in one season and used in another. Hydrogen can be
produced from low cost FEG electricity supplied by
water electrolysis, stored in typically good wind winter months, and
then used to generate electricity in typically low wind summer
months. For example, the capacity factor at Patiala, India for an FEG
flying at 35,000 feet (10700 m) is calculated at only about 37
Wind_power density (kW/m2) that was exceeded 50%, 68%, and 95% of the time
during 1979-2006 at 1,000 m (left) and 10,000 m (right) from the NCEP/DOE
reanalyses. (Excerpt from [1].)
The energy available from wind scales as the cube of the wind velocity times the
density of the air. Peak energy density in the mid latitudes resides between 5,000 m
and 10,000 m elevation. The best winds are in the jet streams. There is less
advantage to go so high in the equatorial regions. Surface winds are always
attenuated near the ground by friction with the surface. Just getting above the
planetary boundary layer, typically 300 to 500 m, can easily triple the energy density
available compared to winds near the surface.
High Altitude Wind Machines
Various proposed methods for extracting energy from high altitude wind fit into three
families of devices. These are lighter-than-air devices, kite-like systems, and rotating
propeller machines. We will look at the organizations developing these devices and
consider the pros and cons of each system.
Lighter than air machines
Magenn Power Inc. is taking orders for their first commercial product, a 100kW
device with a price tag of $500,000. The Magenn machines are large ridged dirigibles
that rotate on their tethers. The machines require lots of helium to stay aloft and they
are designed to work between 500 - 1000 ft. elevation.
Magenn is targeting the device as an alternative to diesel generator sets for remote and
emergency power applications. Relatively low-level operation of this systems means
that it can operate just about anywhere without regard to airspace restrictions.
Tethered Airfoils (Kites)
The Europeans seem to like kite power methods. The most advanced system is being
developed by an Italian group. The researchers at KiteGen have investigated systems
that employ steerable kites in several configurations. In the "yo-yo" configuration,
power is generated by the extension of the tether during a fast-flying power stroke.
Then the airfoil is feathered while the tether is reeled back before again executing the
power stroke. A "carousel" arrangement allows several kites to power a rotating
vertical-shaft machine in a continuous manner.
transfer power from the air foil to the ground. The entire air foil is subject to
maximum wind speed.
A similar design called a Laddermill has been studied by researchers at
Delft University in the Netherlands. Work continues on developing
adequatecomputer models of the kite system. One of the primary challenges is being
able to control the kite in changing wind conditions. These control problems are
formidable, and account for much of the theoretical work being done.
The kite systems are best suited for harnessing the winds below 1000 m elevation.
Machines targeting the upper atmosphere are going after yet another order of
magnitude in power density and even steadier winds. These machines are usually
designed with spinning rotors.
Rotating Propeller Machines
Two California companies are investigating "flying electric generators" (FEG) asSky
Windpower calls them. Bryan Roberts of Sky Windpower is one of the pioneers in
the field with papers dating to the late 1970's, and under his direction a two-rotor
prototype was flown in 1980. Present plans are for a four-rotor demonstration design
capable of 240 kW and operation up to 4600 m.
For all power rotor designs, the tether must contain electrical conductors to transfer
power from the rotors to the ground. High voltage transmission is used
to minimize the weight of the conductors. The rotors are powered during launch so
the tethered craft can be flown to altitude under power.
Technical Challenges
Most casual observers of high altitude wind power easily point out the obvious
problems. Lightning, air traffic interference, failures causing machines to fall out of
the air, and the weight of miles of cable are all frequent criticisms. Fortunately, these
are all engineering challenges that can be tackled with standard engineering practices.
There is no new physics that we need to learn to develop this resource.
Aerodynamics, structural design and materials strength, power
electronics, electrical generation, and control theory, are all welldeveloped disciplines that will be applied to the problem.
The driving motivation is the promise of high returns on investment. Estimates of the
Energy Return of Energy Invested (EROEI) are around 100, better than most fossil
fuel resources but without the CO2 problems. Cost estimates for the electricity
produced range from 2 to 5 cents per kW H. With our insatiable demand for cheap
energy, and with a widely dispersed potential solution a few miles overhead, someone
will bring it down to earth and make some money along the way - the race is on.
There are countless advantages of wind power, as one can harness the power of the
wind to generate a renewable form of energy, which is a good alternative against the
conventional form of energy produced by coal and other fossil fuels.
First of all, the wind is available free of cost, and given the modern technology at your
disposal, it is easily possible to capture the wind efficiently. Moreover, the wind
power doesnt contribute to the exhaust of deadly pollutants, which cause the green
house effect. After purchasing the wind turbines, there are no more considerable
investments involved, except the general maintenance, hence the Wind Power
production is lot more economical than other forms of energy.
Although, the wind is not constant, and may blow at a variable pace, it can become
difficult to rely upon this source of power on the quieter days, when theres no breeze.
As far as the space occupied by these turbines is concerned, they hardly take
considerable space. Whats more, due to their height, even the land below these
turbines can be used for other purposes, such as farming, though they may get a bit
noisy at times.
The Wind Power can be even generated at remote places, where it is impossible to get
an electricity power grid, and hence they serve as the only means of electricity in such
areas.
The wind turbines are available in different sizes, so you may easily pick the correct
one, to suit your needs, whether you need a personal turbine, or a massive one for
business purposes.
Modeling
DFIG Double fed induction machine
Simplified model with voltage controlled rotor
Detailed model with PWM and DC network
Asynchronous machine
Converter driven synchronous machine
Predefined standard controllers (e.g. turbine,
pitch, wind speed, crowbar, PWM controllers)
Customized Models
The user may have the following possibilities to
define own models for all components and for
controllers:
Function block editor
Define the model in Matlab with DSAR
equations. The model will generate
automatically a binary DLL file to protect the
customers know how
Calculation modules
Load flow
Short circuit
Dynamic analysis (e.g. Transient
stability, EMT, PHDYN)
Voltage stability
Protection modules
Harmonic analysis
Flicker analysis
Quasi stationary analysis with load,
wind and generator profile
Typical applications
Verification of connection conditions
Steady state and dynamic simulation of whole
wind parks
Determination of optimal connections in regard
of technical and economical aspects
Increase of short circuit currents
SC capacity of cables and equipment
Protection settings
Reactive power compensation
Harmonic level calculations
Power quality survey
Functions to represent different wind
conditions
Pitch control representation
Tower and blades mechanism
Dynamic stability aspects in power system and
wind parkIn
XI. CONCLUSIONS
It has been shown that flying electric generators can harness
the powerful and persistent winds aloft to supply electricity for grid
connection, for hydrogen production or for hydro-storage. Globally,
upper atmospheric winds provide an enormous resource for this
application. The environmental impacts at altitude are minimal with
virtually no visual, or noise intrusion and no bird strikes. The
proposed systems lead logically to rural/remote area installations in
regions of restricted airspace. Full-scale facilities, using individual
FEG units of rated power around 30 MW, could easily form windfarms equivalent in output to regular coal, gas and nuclear facilities.
These wind-farms would give capacity (generating) factors around
three times greater than that from conventional wind-farms. The
estimated bulk electricity cost for the power so produced is
estimated to be of the order of $20/MWh. High altitude wind power
is not science fiction. It depends on currently available technologies
and engineering knowhow, building on decades of experience with
wind turbine and gyroplane technologies. Harnessing high altitude
wind energy, using a combination of essentially existing
technologies, appears to be thoroughly practical and suggests that
this energy source can play an important part in addressing the
world's energy and global warming problems.